Seventeen

Days go by and I still don't move from Roan's bed. June and Loki have been keeping me company when Roan can't, but still no sign of Aspen. Every now and then, I feel something pull at my stomach, and I always say something to them, but it's become stronger...more persistent. I am not sure how long I will last.

When Roan is here, he tries to encourage me to get up, but I won't. I can't. If I get up, the pull will pull me wherever it wants. I don't tell him that, but I know that's what will happen. As long as I stay laying on the bed, I can't go anywhere. As long as I eat little, my body won't have the strength to leave. As long as I have at least one hand grasping the bed, I won't forget.

"Zahra, please get up?" Roan begs me a week after the incident.

"Don't make me. I have to stay here."

He shakes his head. "No you don't. Zahra, no one is going to hurt you. Aspen is getting better. You're not doing any good by staying here."

I close my eyes against his pleading ones. "I am. As long as I stay here, nothing will happen."

My brother sighs. "Will you at least sit up?"

"Please, just let me lay here."

"And watch you waste away?" he whispers. "You're never like this. Why don't you want to leave the bed?"

"I can't."

His hand goes to my hand that's holding onto the bed tightly. "Please let go?"

"Don't!" I cry and use my free hand to push him away. "Don't move anything!"

"Zahra!"

"Don't make me move!" I hiss.

"Zahra, enough!" Roan grabs my hand and pries it off the bed. I try and lash out, but he's stronger and as soon as my hand is off, the pull becomes unbearable.

"No...!" I whimper. "No! No! No!"

"Zahra!" Roan cups my face and I shake my head. "Zahra, look at me."

"I can't do it!" I cry. "Please, stop!"

"I'm not doing anything!"

I sit up and feel tears slip, feel my feet touch the dirt. "No...don't make me!"

"Zahra, what's going on?" I hear Roan ask, trying to stop me, but I slip away from him. "Zahra!"

"No...Stop it!"

Someone grabs my shoulders and blocks my path. I look to see June. "Zahra, stop it! Go back to Roan!"

Something warm envelopes my hand and I will myself not to raise it. "No! Don't! I can't!" But I do. I press the ball of fire right into June's chest. Her eyes go wide and she gasps. People start running towards her as she falls to the ground. "Zahra!"

"No! Let me go! Leave me alone!" I cry, but the pull is too strong and I continue moving.

A man with white hair enters my path and I throw fire at him, but he doesn't burn. The part of me that is fighting the pull is relieved, hopeful. The man grabs my shoulders and looks into my eyes. "Zahra, you have to stop. Fight whatever is making you do this. You're hurting people. You need to fight it."

The pull suddenly is tugging and I gag. "No!" I fall to my knees and breathe, then look up at the man. "Help me!"

Before he can do anything, his eyes glass over and he falls towards me. Somehow, I manage to escape being crushed and stand, moving again. "Zahra!"

"Roan!" I whimper, but it's too soft for him to hear. It's too soft for anyone to hear. I lose hope and say, "It's not my fault!"

I walk in the forest for hours until I come to a stop in front of the man with electric blue eyes. He smiles and holds out his hand. "Come with me, Zahra."

"I can't...!" I whisper. "Please, don't make me."

"Trust me, the pain will diffuse if you come with me. You will not feel anymore pain. You will not remember what pain is. You will be free from all this."

"M...my family."

"Don't worry, Zahra. Your family will be safe. You will remember them."

My foot moves forward but I shake my head. "No! I hurt June! I hurt someone!"

Lucas begins to lose his patience. "Zahra, you had to in order to come to me. Now, either come or I will make you hurt them again!"

My other foot moves forward. "I don't want to leave!"

Lucas tilted his head to the side. "If you come with me, I will be nice to you. I won't make you hurt your family and I will make sure you are not harmed in return."

Reluctantly, I give in and go to him, taking his hand and letting him lead me away.